ManBookering discussion

This is a discussion thread for Days Without End by Sebastian Barry. Please be courteous of spoilers; if you are going to discuss them, give fair warning of page/chapter number or use the spoiler tag. Thanks! Happy discussing.

I just finished this and thought it was a gorgeous novel. For being on the short side, it was not a quick, breezy read. The writing requires a lot of focus from you, but there are some truly beautiful passages and the story will stay with me.

I loved this one! It totally caught me by surprise because I'm usually not the biggest fan of war stories, especially ones told from the soldier's perspective. But this one totally captivated me. Thomas's narration was brilliant. I thought Barry handled that conversational tone so well, and it really sucked me into the story. The descriptions of nature and the American landscape were lovely, and I think he contrasted the beauty of that with the horrors of war really well.

I'm really excited to hear what other people think about it!

I want to read it again because it's one of those books that is really hitting me now that I finished it. I borrowed it from my library, so maybe I will invest in a copy in a few months (after I get through the rest of the list!) and reread it.

I can see myself reading it again too. Maybe not any time soon but definitely down the road. I've actually felt that way about many of this year's Man Booker longlist picks that I've read so far. They have so much depth that I feel my first read only skimmed the surface. Sign of a good list, in my opinion!

I am currently re-reading around half the list and from the first two I have re-read (Exit West, Underground Railroad) have enjoyed them equally if not more on the second read. I am also looking forward to reading the others I have lined up for a second read in the next week (Swing Time, Days Without End, Solar Bones, Reservoir 13, Lincoln in the Bardo). As you say that can only be a good sign of the longlist.

Just started reading this, and I have to be really honest...it feels like a real chore so far. I might need some convincing to keep going, as I'm not feeling this at all. Should I soldier on, no pun intended?

Joshua wrote: "Just started reading this, and I have to be really honest...it feels like a real chore so far. I might need some convincing to keep going, but I'm not feeling this at all. Should I soldier on, no p..."

Yes, it does require some extra focus but I would keep going. The payoff is well worth the effort.

Corey wrote: "Joshua wrote: "Just started reading this, and I have to be really honest...it feels like a real chore so far. I might need some convincing to keep going, but I'm not feeling this at all. Should I s..."

Thanks, I do intend on continuing. I'll keep you posted on how it goes! I'm not totally sure why I'm struggling with this novel. I like the premise and I normally enjoy more "challenging" reads, but we'll see!

Joshua wrote: "Corey wrote: "Joshua wrote: "Just started reading this, and I have to be really honest...it feels like a real chore so far. I might need some convincing to keep going, but I'm not feeling this at a..."

This is one of those novels that I wanted to plow through but couldn't, so I may not have savored it as much as I wanted to, but there are some beautiful passages of writing. I was invested in the character(s) even if the writing was hard to get through, if that makes sense. That's really what kept me going and I've been thinking about it since.

I was surprised that I didn't find it too challenging because usually that sort of writing style puts me off of a book. But I felt like Barry did a great job of making it very natural and easy to read, at least for me. It did take about 20% for me to get into that flow though.

How do people feel about the portrayal of war? Usually I'm more disturbed by it than I was in this book, even though at times it was brutal. And I also don't like when authors try to romanticize war, but I thought the narrator was very sympathetic to all parties involved.

There were two reasons why I struggled a bit with this book. Firstly (and mainly) it seemed like one episode after another of "how are they going to get out of this, then?", which they inevitably did. Secondly, when writing beautiful prose is your main strength, you are sort of hamstringing yourself by writing in the voice of an uneducated soldier: either the prose suffers or the voice sounds unrealistic (the latter in this book, for me).

I agree with Maxwell, though: in this book I felt less disturbed by the portrayal of war than I normally do, but I am not sure why. I think maybe because of the first point above - even though there was battle after battle where death seemed the only possible outcome, somehow they got through it.

Maxwell, yes. It takes a while to get into...that's a better way of putting it. I didn't really find it challenging in the sense that it was hard to understand, just took extra focus to get with the writing. But I appreciate when the writing makes me rise to it.

Maybe I shouldn't admit that I didn't focus on the war parts very much. I like your point about the narrator being sympathetic to both sides, that was definitely true.

Edit: It could be that the war is less disturbing because this is not really a "war novel." I didn't view it that way, at least. For me the novel was the story of Thomas and his awakening. I felt the war to be almost a device or means to an end for him.

Corey wrote: "Maxwell, yes. It takes a while to get into...that's a better way of putting it. I didn't really find it challenging in the sense that it was hard to understand, just took extra focus to get with th..."

That's a great point. And I agree, this isn't a 'war' novel in the traditional sense, which is probably why I liked it more than I expected to. I don't really read or enjoy war stories, so by focusing on the characters and their development, I think Barry won me over more than other books, like Boyden's Three Day Road did, for example (even though that one is very character driven too, I just think it focuses too much on the war for my taste).

Just finished the book and I cannot express my love for it enough. The thing that I loved most about the story of "Days Without End" is how unpredictable it is. War novels, from the ones I have read, usually tend to stick with a couple safe routes it could take in order to create a more "realistic" feel to it. "Days Without End" takes the chance and goes down a brand new route to create such a masterpiece of a story. It isn't afraid to take risks.

Also, Sebastian Barry's writing is beyond brilliant. While I still prefer Nathan Hill's "The Nix" over this book for the title of my favorite book I have read so far this year, this book is the most well written book I have read this year. So much heart and passion and creativity was packed into just 259 pages. I was literally in awe over half of the passages to the point where I was shedding some tears.

I was really disappointed by the majority of the books that ended up on this long-list. I liked "The Underground Railroad" and I have yet to read "Autumn" and "History of Wolves." However, the other ones I have read were either kind of ok or just plain AWFUL. This book is easily my favorite out of the long-list and is easily my favorite to win the award. I just adored it.

Graham wrote: "Just finished the book and I cannot express my love for it enough. The thing that I loved most about the story of "Days Without End" is how unpredictable it is. War novels, from the ones I have rea..."

I completely agree, Graham. This book is bursting with "heart and passion." (And I LOVED The Nix too... :)). I haven't stopped thinking about it since I finished it earlier this week, and I've read two other books since!

Just read this for the second time. I agree completely with Neil!s two criticisms above but I still found this a powerful and affecting read and while not my favourite on the longlist by any means, I would see it as a worthy potential winner of the prize.

I would share Neil's reservations but go further as for me they detracted materially from the admittedly beautiful prose. I have read 8 of the shortlist so far so 5 more to go but there are already 6 books stronger than this for me so not going to make my shortlist.

I have read the first chapter and it's looking good!

Another theme, which is emerging is the notion of gender, as it also has been tackled in both The Ministry.. and Autumn.

Almost halfway through the long list, and this is my favourite so far. Gritty, tight and a worthwhile mix of scenarios pulled together into a solid storyline. As an Irishman, the narrative is likely spot-on for the time and for the narrators birthplace, which adds a credible authenticity to the story. I got lots of flashbacks to The Luminaries and the Long Road North and glimmers of recollection from Of Mice and Men as I read. Definite shortlist contender for me and I wouldn't be offended if it took the prize, even though I still have half the longlist to consume.

David, I completely agree. I can see echoes of the books you mentioned, and I can also see this book getting shortlisted.

I finally finished this, and unfortunately, I really didn't connect to this novel. The themes and the premise were intriguing, but overall, Barry's writing style didn't gel with my taste. I know many will vehemently disagree with me, but I found the writing in this book incredibly dry, and it kept me at arm's length. Maybe I fell victim to heightened expectations. Oh well. You win some, you lose some!

Mixed reactions - I thought the complex relationships was/were executed well! I enjoyed reading those sections - and the last 50 pages! wow!

but I got bored of the constant battle scenes.

I'm only just getting going but one thing has surprised me so far. The fellows get an unusual job at a saloon (I won't go into because I don't want to spoil it) but it seems there could have been any number of interesting scenes and scenarios arising from it and I'm suprised the author did not flesh out that section more.

Agree with the general consensus that it wasn't the easiest read, but once you get into the style or voice of it I found the writing beautiful. A touching story that has grown on me in the weeks after reading it. Can't seem to shake this book that I originally gave 3 stars but today updated to 4.

I would agree that it didn't for me feel like a war novel, more a novel on identity; gender identity, sexual identity and of course on race. I found it interesting that in a time of fighting one battle of race - a civil war with it's dramatic effects on African American rights - the racism towards Native Americans was so vivid and poisonous. Being Australian I don't know enough about this period in time and have since been doing some reading around that time in history which is incredibly enlightening and, as with most historical race issues, horrific. I have only recently been doing serious reading around the treatment of our Australian indigenous peoples in the scarily recent past. Any reading recommendations - fiction or non-fiction - on race in America would be greatly appreciated. I have heard that Cormack McCarthy's "Blood Meridian" is a great read? Thoughts? Also did "The Color Purple" this year which blew me away - one of my favourites for the year so far. But I'm getting a little off point here.

I went in knowing very little about the plot and was delighted that a book focusing on this time period centred on gender identity issues and the subtle yet powerful relationship between two soldiers - so genuinely touched by their tale. I sort of pine for my own John Cole now.

I started out really disliking this because I struggled with the protagonist's voice ( a common issue having aeen the comments above) but once I became accustomed to it I began to really enjoy it. I've just finished it now and thought it was great! It touched on so many themes - I thought the use of war to describe complexities in human character was very clever. I could really connect with - I didn't feel like I was being 'taught a lesson' but instead it was an insight into humanity and for me, created that connection to another worldview which is why I read literature.

I liked the book as a whole and I enjoyed the characters and the landscapes painted. It did however always feel like a happy ever after story for me. I had little sense of suspense and both Thomas and John Cole seemed never to shake off the voices and actions of their teen years. Rated it 4 out of 5.

As mentioned in the general thread, here is a brief comment from the podcast interview with Lila Azam Zanganeh (LAZ) and Colin Thubron (CT) on the longlist selections.

Days Without End
CT: This is an extraordinary novel as much as it takes on the language or the idiom of a mid-19th century small guy in the United States. It’s a remarkable feat, I think, to be able to do that and not be tiresome. It is a story about…well, it’s quite a complex story, but it includes a great many battle scenes and from the Civil War and from the Indian Wars, and I haven’t read warfare so well written. And there’s a longer story behind it, but it is basically a mid-19th century American saga.

I'm really enjoying this, apart from the battlescenes that I have to admit I find a little boring, too. Beautiful language.

I think Barry is trying to make a point with the battle scenes - his book A Long Long Way (about the experiences of Irish soldiers who fought in the First World War) did similar things. Too many war stories focus on heroism, strategy and the outcome rather than the cruelly mundane realities on the ground.

I am still slightly at a loss about where to place this one - I enjoyed the boldness and the language enough to give it five stars, but I have reservations, particularly about the contrived happy ending.

I agree with Hugh. I enjoyed the book overall, and though difficult to read at times, I appreciated the more realistic day to day experiences of these men as he described them. However, the ending was indeed a bit of a surprise considering how he depicted the realities. But, I guess sometimes there is happy ending despite all the rest. Then again, as others have mentioned, the frequent getting out of situations maybe foreshadowed that there would be a happy ending.

For me, this book was like the lunchables I used to eat when I was a kid. I quite liked the crackers but the watery ham you placed between the crackers was insipid.

Yes, I see your point about the battle scenes, Hugh. Will try to appreciate them more.

I regret wasting the time I put into reading this novel. A more expansive explanation is in my review on this site.